The present invention relates generally to networking and communications systems. More particularly, the invention provides methods and apparatus for network mobility management selection. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to a versatile system for an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) based service negotiation between a mobile node (MN) and an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server. But it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability.
IP mobility allows mobile nodes to remain reachable while moving around in the Internet. Conventionally, each mobile node is always identified by its home address, regardless of its current point of attachment to the Internet. While situated away from its home, a mobile node is also associated with a care-of address, which provides information about the mobile node's current location. IP packets addressed to a mobile node's home address are transparently routed to its care-of address. Generally, there are two categories as to mobility solutions, that is, Network-based mobility and host-based mobility.
Network-based mobility management enables IP mobility for a host without requiring its participation in any mobility related signaling. The network is responsible for managing IP mobility on behalf of the host. The mobility entities in the network are responsible for tracking the movement of the host and initiating the required mobility signaling on its own behalf. In this application, the Network-based mobility management protocol is called proxy mobile IP. In contrast, host-based mobility management enable IP mobility for a host being actively involved, that is, a host must implement mobile IPv6, or mobile IPv4, or dual stack mobile IP.
As can be seen, various network mobility management mechanisms are available. Therefore, improved method and apparatus for enabling IP mobility management selection is highly desirable.